As the final book in the series is scheduled to go public—also see left and below, right)—and Daniel Radcliffe stars, nude, in Equus, the franchise's American publisher, Scholastic, points out that sales for early Potter books run in the neighborhood of a half a million a year as new readers discover them. Pottermania has yet to run its course but its star is clearly intent on building a position as a significant actor.

Bran Castle, rather better known as Dracula's Castle, was claimed by the communist government and only returned to the descendants of the Hapsburgs in the past year. An enormous tourist attraction, the current owner would, nonetheless, like to sell it. For about seventy-eight million dollars. Representatives of the local tourist businesses would like to buy it but can't swing the price. No word on whether the current owner, who lives in New York, only comes out at night.

There seems to have been a problem for the editor and contributors of Shadow Regions, and they have made a public statement about the absence of payment and/or copies. Best guess: although the book is on sale the cash flow is not yet great enough to cover the publisher's obligations, although the authors were told they would be paid in advance. But why not tell them? Somehow the cover image of a railroad track ending over nothing seems more appropriate than was probably intended when it was chosen.

There are changes in the works at Weird Tales, not just editorial but even an updated logo. When I went to the Wildside Press website, I was somewhat surprised to find they were advertising an issue that seemed vaguely familiar under the header, "Latest Releases." It should have. It has a poem I wrote and was published in Fall 1999. Excellent issue. Do buy it. (It turns out they rotate the images of back issues they have in stock, but it was a distinctly odd moment.)

I was looking up something for a friend of mine and discovered, with dismay, that Avram Davidson is slowly drifting out of the consciousness of genre readers. He has fans but, considering he wrote complicated and well-researched fantasy, fewer perhaps than he deserves. Most of what is in print is either speculative research or tribute collections. So, herewith, The Avram Davidson website, which is worth a visit. Do check out the mandrake lore and keep looking in the used bookstores for gems such as The Phoenix and the Mirror.

Of absoluely so significance whatsoever, other than it has been entertaining pros and fans alike, is this review, in which a famous figure of the genre is incorrectly named as an actor in a stoner flick. Not even Grand Masters are protected from the fickle finger of the typo, although this unfortunate is on close terms with his lawyer: it's not easy being an Ellison.

Space and Time, slated to be closed down, will be continuing under a new owner, although it is not currently open for submissions. Former owner Gordon Linzer will continue to run Space and Time Books, while Hildy Silverman charts her own course for the magazine. A double issue, at no extra cost to subscribers, will appear this spring, signaling the transition and probably clearing out a backlog of already accepted stories.